Telly bigwigs hounded from Benefits Street after suggesting series two to residents

CONTROVERSIAL: Residents were outraged when asked to re-appear on the Channel 4 documentary series [PETER CORNS]

Telly workers were chased, pelted with eggs and soaked with water when they approached residents of Dixon Street in Stockton-on-Tees, Durham.

The road had been earmarked for a sequel to the Channel 4 programme which featured James Turner Street in Birmingham.

“I’m not glad I did it – and that’s hand on heart.”

Brian Hayes

And locals claim TV researchers got star White Dee to phone them up to try to persuade them to take part in the sequel.

But they rebelled, fearing the national focus on them would ruin the community’s image.

Resident Shakil Maqsood, 32, said: “They said that the house prices would go up by 16% and there were about four families here who wanted it. But the neighbours I spoke to said that if they filmed here they would have to move.

“When a TV crew appeared on the street, they got eggs thrown at them, then someone threw a bucket of water over them and then they chased them out.”

His neighbour Brian Hayes, 26, also revealed he was put through to Dee, real name Deirdre Kelly, 42, on the phone in a bid to talk him around. But Dee told him: “I’m not glad I did it – and that’s hand on heart.”

Love Productions, who make the show, were then warned by local Labour MP Alex Cunningham that they “weren’t welcome” after requesting a meeting.

A spokesman for the TV company said they were “­researching potential new ­locations” for series two.